Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I Have OCD Tendencies, But...

I have a cute ruffly sweater, which I keep at work.  I like to have it around for those (frequent) moments when I get chilly.  I also have a fabulous pink jacket.  I wear my jacket to work often because it's always cold on the morning bus.  My cubicle has a great coat hanger, where I hang my cute ruffly sweater.  My fabulous pink jacket goes onto the great coat hanger over the cute ruffly sweater.

This morning a man I work with walked into my cube area saying, "OK, it's driving me crazy."  And he straightened my fabulous pink jacket on its great coat hanger over the top of the cute ruffly sweater.

I felt like I needed to apologize.  Can you explain that to me?

Sunday, August 29, 2010

House Update

This is what the dining room looks like.  It's worse than this picture suggests.  There is a path to the computer, but you have to go around the table, which is currently covered with junk.  Most of this stuff--including the organ--will need to go into storage.  We'll probably have to rent a storage unit.
I cleaned the living room carpet on Friday night.  It's still our dingy carpet, but it's missing the stain spots (darn!).  We still need to bring our furniture upstairs and take the Fishes' furniture downstairs.
The girls have made their bedroom look adorable!  Besides the cute paint job, they've done a fantastic job in organizing all their stuff.  (I snapped this picture while they were asleep--yup, Ash is sleeping with her legs up like that.  :) )
The closet pictures on the right is the one you can see in the picture above.  Spencer added another closet (the one on the left).  Both sit on top of the existing, built-in desk, which you can see below. 
This picture doesn't do justice to how well they've organized their stuff.  Shoes on the bottom shelves, personal items on the middle shelves.  Clothes hung in the closet.  The hair and makeup stuff is in the organizer with white drawers.  Bri bought a mirror for the space between the two closets, and they sit on the stool to get themselves ready.

Ashtyn got her downstairs bedroom completely emptied, so Brant and Laurie will be able to move in there.  I think they cleaned the carpet last night.  Moving into that room will free up their "kitchen" (formerly the preschool).  That will also allow room for us to move furniture up the back stairwell, which is wider and much easier to maneuver through.

We also emptied the family room (except for furniture), which involved emptying all of the DVD cases and putting the disks into an organizer.

Most of the visual work happened while the Fishes were out and about.  They were pretty excited to come home to open space for them to use. 

The end (of Phase I) is in sight.  It's getting exciting.

And for all you nay-sayers out there:  Yes, this is working out beautifully.  WE LOVE HAVING THIS FAMILY HERE WITH US!

Night Out

Why do I never remember the camera?  Suffice it to say that we were the cutest group at the theatre last night!

Briana took Ashtyn to the Hale Center Theatre last night (Ashie's birthday present), and I got invited to go.  We saw "Pirates of Penzance."  It was such a fun production!

Mostly it was fun to hang out with our girls.

Why?

Markie's favorite word is "Why?"  A conversation yesterday went like this:

Mark:  What is she doing?
Bri:  Stretching.
Mark:  Why?
Bri: Because she's gonna go running.
Mark:  Why?
Bri:  She just wants to exercise.
Mark:  Why?
Bri: So she can be healthy.
Mark:  Why?
Bri:  Because.
(VERY slight pause)
Mark:  What is she doing?
Bri:  Stretching, silly.
Mark:  Why?
Bri:  Because.
(another small pause)
Mark:  What is she doing?
Bri:  Stretching.
Mark:  Why?

This is just one example of the types of conversations you can have with a three-year-old named Marcus.  Our kids get annoyed.  I just think it's funny.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

I'm Impressed

Last night my brother came into the upstairs portion of the house.  I could see that he was tense.  He said, "If L and K want to meet at the football game, would you call that a date?"

You don't live with 3 brothers, a sister, and/or 4 children without learning that often you are going to have to justify your answer.  And sometimes I dread having to try to justify the answer.  So I took a second to think, cringed, and said, "Yes, I think so."

He said, "OK then!"

I am impressed with my brother.  He had, apparently, been having words with their oldest son and was looking for some validation.  He didn't really need my validation--he already knew the answer, and he was holding the line.

He was being a responsible father.

I am very impressed.

***

Right after my brother said, "OK then!" his wife walked into the upstairs.  She said, "What's going on?"  He replied, "L is grounded for a week.  He's being a fart about this."

She responded, "OK," and she shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "It is what it is."

Maybe she knew the entire situation--I don't know.  Whether she did or did not, there was no hesitation on her part to back my brother up in this.  It was the right thing to do.

I am impressed with my sister-in-law.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Signs of a Good Life

My boss took a very long lunch today.  He's entitled to do that.  But he feels guilty about it.

I think that's weird.  But that's just me.

He was in his office, with the door closed, for another hour or so after his long lunch.  Meeting.

When he finally walked out of his office he apologized, because he had to go to another meeting.  I'm not really sure why the apology.  Do I look like I need a babysitter?  Does he think I wish I were in all those meetings?  I don't know...

Anyway, all this guilt-mongering was to my benefit, when my boss got back from that last meeting with a brownie in tow.  For me.

Yup, I'm gonna like this job.  :)

'Tis the Season

Today our children go back to school.  Do you know what that means?

It means it's time to get sick.

Yes, folks, get ready, get stocked, get sick!

Now that we are all in close quarters all day, the germs will start to spread like, well, germs.  Make sure you have your cold meds, cough drops, and kleenex!  Stock up on hand sanitizer, soap, and laundry detergent! 

And while you are preparing yourself and your family, could you come take care of EVERYONE on the 11th floor?  Because EW!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Where Were You?

Sixteen years and nine months ago, I went off my birth control for about a week.

Sixteen years and 8 months ago, I learned that we were going to add Baby #3 to our family.

Sixteen years and 7.5 months ago I started praying for a sweet, easy baby.

Sixteen years and one month ago I was the last of the five mommies in our ward to still be pregnant.

Sixteen years and two days ago I went to a birthday party for my mother-in-law.  I thought I just might have a baby on her birthday.  You know, to celebrate.  But Baby changed her mind and went to sleep.

Sixteen years and one day ago I sat at the kitchen table for hours, trying desperately to finish a very large sewing project I had been working on.  I was sure that I was going to be interrupted by a delivery trip to the hospital.  Each time I was sure it was time to stand up and call Spencer, Baby would change her mind and go back to sleep.

Sixteen years ago today I had an appointment with the doctor, who checked me and said, "It doesn't look like much is happening."  I probably cried; at any rate he said, "Let's send you up to the hospital for a non-stress test.  The nurses at the hospital promptly hooked me up to a monitor and announced, "Woah!  Those are HUGE contractions!"  (Wasn't it nice of them to tell me that?  What if I hadn't known that?)

Sixteen years, one epidural, some tears, a small nap, some food, several book chapters, a few visitors, and some hard pushing ago, our Ashtyn Sarah Hill was born.

Heavenly Father answered my prayers by giving me a sweet-natured, happy, helpful angel girl.

Boy!  Am I grateful for the past 16 years!

The End of the World As We Know It

I now "live" on the 11th floor.  I swore I would never work here.  Ever.  Like, I would rather DIE than work here. 

But here I am.  And so far I like it.

Yesterday I attended a meeting with the managers I worked with in a different division.  One of them--who I had met and not particularly liked before he left for his mission--sat near me during our lunch.  We spoke about some of his mission experiences. 

He also lives on the 11th floor.  As he walked past my desk this morning, he waved at me.

He. waved. at. me.

Please do not misunderstand.  I do not care.

But I think that perhaps the world is ending.  I can only handle so much weirdness before I begin to question...

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

An Update On The Week

I had a FABULOUS time in Primary on Sunday.  Thanks for asking.

My first day on the job went well, but it was only a half day, because 5 weeks ago I scheduled an orthodontist appointment for Landon.  Nothing like a great first day on the job!

My second day on the job I wasn't on the job.  I was back with HQF in their annual Annual Plan meeting.  I will admit to doing some laughing, but only if you swear not to tell.

I liked lunch.  The food was yummy.  Also, I sat next to a certain recently-returned mission president, who told me some sweet things about his experience in South America.  Who knew?  He even made eye contact with me *gasp!*

After the meeting my sweet friend, RH, came up and said, "Aundrea, I hope this doesn't make you feel bad.  But with as intelligent and talented as I know you are, it nearly breaks my heart to watch you clearing everyone's plates from the table!"  I would not clear the plates if it bothered me (believe me!), but I also think that I am assigned a certain strata at my place of employment due to my gender.  That is all.  And that is enough.

Briana and Ashtyn finished painting their room today.  Spencer came home from work and built them a closet, which Ash is currently painting.  Maybe tomorrow we'll actually get their bedroom put together!

Sassy took me out on a date last night.  We saw "Eat, Pray, Love."  I liked it better than she did.  I think that was just the maturity level based on the main character in the movie.  The movie was OK.  V---E---R---Y slow!  All in all, I'd wait for Netflix if I were you.

That's an exciting week, don't you think?

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Progress, But It Doesn't Look Like It

The boys are moved into their room.

The girls' room has been cleaned, masked, and textured.

All three bookshelves are in the dining room.

Two other shelves are in the pantry (thanks for the suggestion, Lo!).

The organ, Bri's cedar chest, and Bri's sewing table need to find a home, so do many boxes of "stuff."

Our kids need to finish getting their stuff out of the downstairs bathroom and into the upstairs bathroom.  I helped them a little bit yesterday.

The huge, heavy file cabinet needs to come upstairs.

We need to swap our sofas and loveseats.

We need to figure out what to do with all of our movies.

We need to get rid of the TV (and buy a new one).

We need to paint the girls' room, set up their bunk beds, and put together their closet and organizer.

Why is it that you can work all day long and feel like you haven't even made a dent?

Impromptu Family Fun


Friday night Bri went up the canyon with some friends.  They were going to make s'mores, and she thought there would be a lot more people who went--but they didn't and they didn't. So she offered all her s'mores stuff, and we decided to go up the canyon.  Brant and Lo got lots and lots of pix.  Here are a few.





Friday, August 20, 2010

It's Been A Long Time Coming

When my alarm went off this morning, I didn't want to get up.  It's Oh-Dark-Thirty, for goodness' sake!  I told Spencer to just reset it.

But the alarm on his cell phone was going off in the kitchen, where the phone was charging (the alarm was leftover from his week in Seattle).  I got up and turned it off.

And then I climbed back into our bed.  And I couldn't go back to sleep.

Because I was excited to get to work!

It has been a very long time since I felt that way.  Hooray!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

When It's August at the COB

  • There will be no shade on the cast-iron benches on the south side of the building during the 1:00 hour.
  • If you sit on a cast-iron bench on the south side of the building during the 1:00 hour, you will probably burn your buns.
  • All of the "playpens" that were out on the Plaza will be put away for the summer.
  • There will be DOZENS of Grounds employees hanging Christmas lights on the trees.
  • If it is LATE August, the number of family field trips and youth conference groups will be DRAMATICALLY decreased.

Monday, August 16, 2010

What I Just Realized

I made the cute curtain for our dining room when we moved into this house.  I loved the fabric--I loved the checks I loved the colors.

Now I don't.

That, my friends, is what we call "revelation."

Little By Little


This is the lighter color of blue that is on 3 of the walls in what will be the boys' room.  Still to do:  paint the darker blue on the 4th wall and the ceiling, hang the light, put up curtains of some kind, replace the outlet covers.

This cute armoire is a ksl.com find.  It is our new "pantry."



There's still stuff hanging around all over the place, but we got the desk moved to the north wall, which included moving the cable for the internet.  We've also turned the dining table 90 degrees.  I don't like it that way yet, but when it's all put together, I think this will be the best option.



There are three bookshelves that need to come upstairs.  I finally made the kids take care of one of them today.  (Did you know that children--even big ones--do not help until given specific instructions?  *sigh*)


Little by little we are getting this move moving!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

In the Meantime

My sister and her children have been staying with us this past week. Count 'em, folks. That's 18 people living in our home this week.

It has been a really fun week--I've loved every minute of it!

Spencer has spent some quality time in our bedroom with the door closed. I married the best man in the world, and when he's over-stimulated, he's cool to just run away like that. OK, I admit it. I joined him several times.

I took a day off from work this week in order to see my dad and his friends (The Valleymen) do a gig. It was a lot of fun. That night we were supposed to all get together (the adults) and have dinner. It didn't work out for me and Spencer, which basically makes me wanna cry.

When my parents and my sister and her family pulled out of our driveway this morning to make the trek back to Cal, I did cry.

In the meantime, Friday night was Ashtyn's Sweet 16 birthday party. I didn't count the kids who came; but based on the decibel level and Sassy's blog, it was a success. Many, many thanks to Aunt Tiff, who provided SOO much food, set up, cleaned up, and disappeared with her children so the little ones didn't cramp the style of the teenagers. :)

In the meantime, we're still trying to get our house moved to the upstairs. My brother's family has been fabulous to give us some time to do all of this. Briana moved from her room into Ashtyn's room this week. Give her a lot of credit--this is no small feat! Yesterday we got that room 1/2 painted. We will shoot for the 2nd color (aka "other half") tomorrow. The remainder of the week can be spent getting the boys moved and settled into that bedroom, which will open the other upstairs bedroom for painting next weekend.

In the meantime, Spencer leaves this morning for a week of training in Seattle. I have a feeling that eventually we will be in Seattle. The company is there; so if Spencer wants to grow in the company, I think we will have to be there. In the meantime, however, SLC has some fabulous things happening which make us very grateful.

And in the meantime, this week I accepted another new position at work. Once again it is a lateral move for me. But I hope it will mean staying busy and receiving some new challenges and learning some new things. My first official day is a week from tomorrow, but I've already spent about 15 hours there, doing some training with the woman who is leaving.

In the meantime, we are in training for the Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas in October. The next ward activity is on September 11th. Sterling Singers started rehearsals again, preparing for our Christmas performances. The kids' school starts in a week and a half.

I'm either SuperWoman or completely bonkers.

Or both. :)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Regarding a Certain Cell Service Provider

I have been using a certain cell provider for a number of years. There are a couple of places in the valley where my calls get dropped; but I avoid them (which is easy, since I'd have to be driving to be in that dead zone) and all is well.

Within the past year the Church went exclusively to service from this same provider. It hasn't been good.

Jesse just called Guy on the cell phone to ask him a question. Apparently the call came to an abrupt end. Jesse said, "Well, that's one good thing about __________. You don't have to waste your time saying good-bye at the end of a call."

I laugh.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Moving

My brother and his wife lived in our ward for a while. We LOVED having them so close! When they made the decision to leave Utah, I cried. A lot.

Some weeks ago they announced that they were going to make the move back to Utah. Brant has been unemployed for several months, and it was as good a time as any to take the leap. We offered them a place to stay (with us).

The day that they were scheduled to arrive, Spencer and I started talking about the possibility of offering them the entire basement. The rent would be fairly cheap for them, and the rent would help us.

They've now been here for about a week and a half. After discussions with my brother and his wife, and with our children, we have decided to divide our house into two homes. We are doing amazingly well with all of us in the house together. But we feel that it would be beneficial to have our own places.

So by the end of the month, our family will make the full move to the upstairs, after which Brant and Lo will take possession of the basement. The preschool has a sink and a stove in it, so that will be their kitchen. The play room will be a bedroom for their three oldest children. They will take one bedroom, the younger two children will take the other bedroom, and they will have the family room. We will share the pantry area downstairs and the laundry area upstairs.

We are moving the boys into what is now Briana's room--but we want to paint it first. So Bri is moving downstairs with Ashtyn this week. We will paint, and then the boys will move into that room. Once Landon's room is empty, we will paint it. Then the girls will move in there. In between all of that, we will move our family room, play room, and preschool stuff upstairs and/or into storage.

There is a lot to do. But we are excited. We hope that the Fishes will stay for as long as they want to. Our boys are having so much fun together, and I simply love having them so close.

Monday, August 9, 2010

I Think of Mark

Today's date is 8.9.10.

Every time there is a date that does something cool like count up, count down, count by even or odd numbers, etc., I think of Mark.

Last time I pointed a date out to him, he acted surprised. He hadn't thought of it!

Maybe it was just when I was there. Yeah, that's it. It was just when I was there that he thought of it.

THAT MUST BE IT! (It makes me feel special.)

A Quick, Non-Detailed List of What We Did This Weekend

1. Spencer and I got ice cream and saw a movie with my brother and his wife. (I really liked Charlie St. Cloud.)
2. I ran 6 miles (Go, Me!).
3. We attended a party with my family.
4. We attended a party with Spencer's family (Happy 80th birthday, Bert!).
5. We decided to move.
6. We went to church.
7. We had all of my family over for dinner, visiting, and playing (we missed you, Orangevale Fishes!).
8. Bri and I went to choir practice.

It's been a full, fun weekend. Here's a picture of all the girls at my family party.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Aren't You Glad?

If I wasn't sitting alone all the time, you would not hear from me. Aren't you glad I sit alone all day long?

Today I asked Jesse if he would use _____'s account code and order me a fridge for my house. He said he was sure he could do that. But he was also sure that we would both be escorted off the premises. Permanently.

I replied that we might get escorted out of the Church. He said, "Yes. And you are the ward activities committee chairman. But I am the stake president. There is a place right on that form that asks if the person involved in losing their church membership was a leader."

A few minutes later I said, "Jesse, I'm really sorry you know what that form looks like."

He walked out of his office with tears in his eyes. He said, "I have learned that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can make it right for everyone. If any one of us will do everything that we can to allow him to make it right for us, we can return to the presence of God our Father. THAT is what that form means to me."

Shortest devotional ever. Also the best one.

M Sense

Spencer had a dentist appointment before work this morning, so he left very early. He kissed my cheek and wished me a happy anniversary.

When my alarm went off, I rolled over to turn it off, and I rolled onto something on Spencer's side of the bed. I instantly recognized the sound and the feel of a large bag of M&M's.

Pathetic? Maybe.

But it was a SWEET way to start the day! :)

Memories of Us

I went to sleep at 1:00 a.m. I woke up at 3:00 a.m. Spencer picked me up at 4:00 a.m. We drove to the hotel to pick up Vehicles Two and Three (Spencer's parents and brother) in our convoy. We drove to pick up Vehicle Four (Spencer's sister), and then we all drove nearly three hours (in weekday morning traffic) to the temple. We waited a short time for my family to arrive.

My mom and I were escorted into a beautiful room. She helped me put on my gown and my ceremonial clothing. The sisters serving there were sweet and happy and suitably excited for me. One of them escorted me to the Celestial Room, where Spencer was waiting for me, looking as beautiful (in all the appropriate, wonderful, masculine ways) as I felt. Except for the sister who was my escort, we were alone in that amazing room. We held hands and whispered a little bit. I wasn't nervous at all.

The sister then escorted us to a sealing room. All of our family and friends were inside, but the sealer hadn't arrived yet, so our escort had us sit outside the room. We sat. We waved to people inside. We sat some more. And more. And more. Spencer's dad came out to walk off the stiffness in his back. The mother of the next scheduled bride came and paced in the hallway. THEN I got nervous. At last, the sealer arrived, and we were escorted INTO the sealing room.

We introduced everyone in the room. I wasn't nervous again. We knew everyone. We loved everyone. There were friends, co-workers, church leaders, parents, siblings, grandparents. We listened carefully to the instructions given to us. (I don't remember any of them!) And then we were married for time and for all eternity (at which point I thought I might tip over backward). We kissed each other. We stood together and gazed at one another in the 'eternal mirrors.' We hugged everyone.

My mother and I were escorted back to the beautiful brides' room. The sisters asked me my last name so they could retrieve my stuff. I said, "Fish." And they said, "Sorry, there's no 'Fish' here. Are you sure your name isn't 'Hill?'"

There was a heck of a lot more to that day, but the highlight was the approximately 5 minutes during our time in the House of the Lord, when we made covenants with God and with one another, resulting in our marriage for time and for all eternity.

It was a good day, 22 years ago.

Obnoxious

I took the dog running with me the other day. I came home with three large blisters on my left hand, one of which had popped before I got home. That one was located on an inside knuckle and it was very sore for several days.

I HATE that the dog ruined my run!

Today that sore is finally in a definite healing mode. The broken skin has gotten hard. It doesn't hurt to bend or straighten my finger. But it keeps snagging on things.

And now you know.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

My Prayers Are Getting Longer

The "please bless" list has been growing. It includes families we love whose marriages are struggling (4), family members who are looking for employment (3), people we love who are seriously ill (3), and family members of friends who are seeking heaven's help (presently 2). It includes all of our parents and our grandparents and our siblings and their children and THEIR children. It includes our own children (a lot of this!). It includes our own concerns, including housing, employment, callings, and parenting.

And THEN we start the "thank Thee"s. After all of the "please bless"-es, the "thank Thee" list is enormous. We can blink. We can run. We can walk. We are healthy. We are safe. We are wealthy. We have a home. We have FOUR vehicles! We have good employment. We can learn. We have the opportunity to learn. We have marvelous families: parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We have wonderful, wonderful children. We are surrounded by temples. We have the priesthood in our home, held worthily by 3 men. We have dozens--maybe hundreds!--of friends, neighbors, and co-workers who bless us daily. We have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We have the atonement of Jesus Christ. We have the sky and the clouds and the rain and the sun and the flowers and the grass and water and the mountains and the desert and the ocean. And to put a cherry on top, we have a doofus dog who makes us laugh.

Do you ever feel like you could kneel down, and by the time you got up it would be the end of the day and time to kneel down again?

Thoughts on the Bus--Journaling

I have been riding the West Jordan Fast Bus for about three years now.

I pick up the bus in the morning at its second-to-last stop. There is a stop that's about a half-mile closer to our home, but it is on a busy corner that is difficult to exit from in the afternoon; so I choose to drive the extra half-mile in the morning so I can get out and get home in the afternoon. In the mornings I make my way completely to the back of the bus because the lumbar support on those seats is better than the others. I also sit on the left side so my face isn't in the sun for the majority of the trip into the city. I get off the bus about a half block away from the Temple Square. There's a later stop, but I like the view as I walk in from the stop I choose: the flowers, the Beehive and Lion Houses, the temple.

In the afternoon I pick up the bus on the north side of the COB. I usually sit somewhere near the middle of the bus instead of the back, because I am going to be one of the first people off. I almost always sleep all the way home. Yesterday I woke with a start--I had been sound asleep and wondered if I'd missed my stop. When I looked around, I realized that we were still in the downtown area. :) There have been two times when I slept through my bus stop, and one other time when I would have if I hadn't been awakened by a friend.

I have made several friends on the bus and at the bus stop. There are several other riders who are friends from the areas where I work. I've had a couple of people in the COB say hello and follow it up with, "I think you ride my bus." I've had the same thing happen in Macey's in West Jordan. There are also ward members who ride my bus, though usually at a different time than I.

I pay $12 a month to ride UTA. There are times when I drive into work, but you can't beat the low cost of the UTA commute. I also love that I don't have to drive in the rain or the snow. And at the end of the day I would ALWAYS rather be on the bus, because I'm really sleepy.

The bus drivers usually drive a designated time and route for about 3 or 4 months. There have been a few who make me a little sick because of their stop-and-go driving; for the most part, the drivers have been friendly and great. Once there was a Polynesian driver on our morning route. Every morning when we got off the freeway in the city he would do a big long greeting. I once understood that he said that date. Another time I understood that he told us the temperature. But for the most part he spoke too quietly, and I didn't understand a word he said. The first few times, we all looked at one another saying, "Did you hear any of that?" It only took a couple of days before we all stopped worrying about it. :)

UTA and the West Jordan fast bus are things I love.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Did You Know?

The Church Office Building cafeteria has not served breakfast in over a year. They still occasionally have chocolate muffins, which they sell to a select few, including my boss.

My boss is a good sharer.

Chocolate muffins are more appropriately called "Large Chocolate Cupcakes."

Another of the managers I support is having a birthday today. He lives 4 hours' time difference way, so I haven't sent him a birthday message yet.

There are two kinds of people in the world: sneezers and non-sneezers. I am a non-sneezer. (The sun shining in my eyes does not cause me to sneeze.)

Sneezers make up 25% of the world's population.

We have the world's nicest dentist. I still hate going to see him.

Yesterday I enrolled a team to run the 2011 Ragnar Wasatch Back relay.

I am running in the Ragnar Valley of Fire relay in October. My long run is 8.8 miles!

I have officially lost my mind. (Somebody call an ambulance.)

Kelly loves me.

I was endowed in the Oakland California Temple 22 years ago today.

In My World There Will Be Another Way

Yesterday I was wishing with all of my heart that I could just sit with my mom in a very quiet room. I wanted to lay my head in her lap and not say anything--just know she was there watching over me for 15 blissful minutes.

Since that was out of the question, I considered and/or participated in the following:

Chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
Curl into a fetal position.
Cry.
Complain.
Curse.

(Nice alliterative list, no?)